


There Is a Long Way To Fall

by RoxySmith



Series: It Could Be Love [5]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Germaphobic!Reid, Insecure!Reid, Jealous!Reid, M/M, Meeting Ex, Misunderstanding, Post Valentine's Day, Reid's Safe zone, Sad!Reid, Surprised!Hotch, Worried!Hotch, germaphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 09:32:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3285359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoxySmith/pseuds/RoxySmith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s the day after Valentine’s Day and Hotch’s ex, Haley Hotchner, (Who he hadn’t met in years) tells him a secret that will change his future. Reid doesn't seem too happy with Hotch spending time with this stranger and he deals with it by locking himself in his closet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There Is a Long Way To Fall

”Actually there is a study showing that coitus in some cases can prevent Rhinopharyngitis, but that doesn’t mean that I participated in any form of sexual activities last night, and yes that means intercourse too. Frankly I couldn’t care less about Valentine’s Day. But I must say, I did get a warm feeling growing in my stomach when Hotch gave me a bouquet of roses and I did appreciate the pocket watch he gave me” Reid said to Morgan as they stepped out from the lift. A low giggle echoed from Emily’s desk as the girls stopped their stories about their valentine’s day to listen to what doctor Reid and Hotch had done the day before. 

Hotch could see everything from where he stood preparing his second cup of morning coffee. Dating Reid hadn’t only changed Reid, the younger man’s habits had started to affect his routine. Normally he just drank one cup before lunch, but Reid’s addiction had him starting to crave more him as well.   
Normally he would have taken Spencer with him to work, but the other man seemed too exhausted from last night Doctor Who & Star Trek marathon that he had let him sleep in. Even if Spencer had made it clear that he had no interested in Valentine’s Day, he still wanted to make his genius feel wanted on Valentine’s Day. Even if that meant watching almost half a season of a Sci-fi show that really didn’t interested him in the beginning. Now he couldn’t say that he hated Star Trek, Doctor Who on the other side were still a bit too goofy for his taste. The evening wasn’t as big of a disaster as their first Valentine together. He had treated Spencer with a romantic evening at a restaurant that had ended up as a yawn fest with Reid’s comments about taking him out to dinner to celebrate Saint Valentine made no sense. It would be more fitting to invite him to witness a brutal murder or at least take him to a crime scene. Hotch never did that mistake again.  
He was brought back to reality when Morgan started talking to him.  
“Are you going to get your coffee? I would hurry up if I were you, I wouldn’t trust doctor Reid anywhere near my coffee unsupervised” Reid pouted at that. That pout always made him succumb to any of his boyfriends desires at home. He had no idea if he could think clearly if Reid ever decided to give him that look at work. He was lucky that the genius was pouting at Morgan and not him.  
“I’m not the coffee thief here Morgan. Last time I trusted you with my coffee, you where the one who violated the agreement by ‘taking a sip’ and that wasn't just ‘a sip’”  
“You took a sip from boy Genius’s coffee?” Garcia asked a bit amused. The girls had moved from Emily’s desk to the break room to join in the conversation.   
“Big mistake, Spence gets upset whenever you look at his coffee for too long. Who in their right mind even thinks about taking a sip from it? Well if they don't have a death wish that is” JJ joined in.  
“I didn’t know that at the time. And I won’t do it again” Morgan said, satisfying Reid who were the only one who did not see the other man crossing his fingers. Hotch knew his boyfriend had a degree of germaphobia, which he in a way had been better to control since they started dating. But the younger man still wasn’t that happy about sharing his drink with him. Or it could just be Reid being territorial in his own way. Sometimes he wondered if his boyfriend loved coffee more than him. He shook his head when he started to think of himself as ‘the other man’, it was just coffee.   
“Don’t you guys have work to do?” He finally said, destroying the moment when Reid explained too Emily how he had got his vengeance on Morgan for the coffee theft. They all sighed and left the couple alone. Reid was on his way, but stopped when he saw a woman standing behind him. Hotch’s heart almost stopped when he saw who it was. Haley Brooks, his college sweetheart. Last time he had seen her was when he had decided that they would never work as a couple. He had been just friends with Spencer at the time but Haley was the one pointing out that his heart clearly was with someone else, Spencer, and he shouldn’t waste it. Haley had always been understanding, even if she had never had met Reid in person. They had been sending each other Christmas cards every year, but they never really had any contact. Something told him that she believed Spencer was a woman.

“Haley, what are you doing here?” Hotch asked as he gave his ex-girlfriend a hug. He had to check the visitors badge so that he was sure it was her and not just someone looking like her. He knew he had much to explain to Reid, but he hoped the other man could wait until later.   
“I came to see you. How rude I’m, I’m Haley Brooks. Aaron and I are or where close friends” Haley explained to Reid when she felt him staring. She offered the meek looking man her hand, but he only waved. She smiled at him, clearly not taking any offence by him not wanting to shake hands.   
“I’m Doctor Spencer Reid” He said. Hotch felt like he had been lying to Haley when she finally put two and two together. Maybe it would be better if he had told her that he had feeling for another man, that way it wouldn’t be a shock to her. Why didn’t he think of it earlier? He really hoped for them to not causing a scene at the BAU.  
“Wait, You’re Spencer Reid? The Spencer Reid? I’m so sorry I didn’t realize you would be a man… not that is anything wrong with it. Nice to finally meet you” Reid gave Hotch an unsure look. He understood that his boyfriend wasn’t comfortable with her around and clearly wanted to leave, but another part of him told him to stay. Reid was clearly feeling threatened by her.  
“Is it okay if you wait in my office? Just ask anyone if you don’t find it” She nodded and left the room, leaving her ex and his confused boyfriend behind her.  
“Spencer, is everything alright?” Hotch asked. Normally he didn’t use his partner’s name in the office, but this was starting to get personal. Reid was staring at Hotch for a while, thinking for a while before he nodded.  
“I’m sorry sir, everything is fine, I’ll go back to my papers now” He said. Hotch wasn’t that comfortable with Reid leaving, clearly upset that his ex was here. Hotch had no idea that Reid could be jealous, if it didn’t involve coffee.

***

Aaron and Haley had ended walking out from the office to eat some lunch together. She had seemed a bit uncomfortable at the office. She had something to say, and he knew it would be important since she had sought him up after so many years. It would be too serious to talk over the phone. Even if they hadn’t spoken in years, he would still listen to her.  
“Six month after we broke up. I realized I was pregnant. Aaron. You got a son” She finally got out. It was like everything suddenly stopped around Aaron. He was staring at the woman in front of him, too shocked to show her what he was really feeling. He didn’t know what he should be feeling. The woman he had been together with, had a son, and he was the father. He should be happy for having a son, but furious at her for not telling him sooner. He regretted not ordering that beer with his lunch, he sure needed it now. Or something stronger for that matter. 

He had always wanted to have children but he didn’t want to stress Spencer out about it. The young doctor didn’t seem to get along with children at all. They in fact hated him and he wasn’t that fond of them either. Hotch had jokingly called it the Reid effect first time he had witnessed it, and the rest of the team had joined in. What would Reid say about this? He had told him about having a girlfriend when they first met and that he had broke it off when they started dating, but he had never told him about them having coitus. Hotch would normally laugh at himself for using the word Coitus, he had hung out with Reid way too long, but he was busy freaking out and having a mental meltdown to find it funny at the moment.   
“What’s his name?” Aaron finally asked when he had calmed himself down a bit. He sounded as stiff as always. That was good, he wouldn’t be helpful at all if he was panicking.  
“Jack, Jack Hotchner. I wanted him to have his dad’s last name” She explained with a small smile on her face. Haley loved talking about Jack. She was clearly proud of her son, no their son.  
“He’s five now, and won’t stop asking about his father. I couldn’t lie to him, and he deserves to know that his father is a great man. You deserve to meet your son. I’m so sorry for not telling you about it. I thought I could handle it. But when he ask about you…” Haley had tears in her eyes. She was regretting her choices in life. Aaron took her hand. He couldn’t be mad at her. But that didn’t mean he had forgiven her, not yet.  
“Haley, calm down. Don’t cry, you know I can’t stand you crying. You did the right thing telling me. I’m not mad at you. Just mad that I wasn’t there for our son. But won’t lie to you, I’m very disappointed at you.” He told her. She was calming down a little.   
“I’m not trying to get the blame off me, but you were clearly more interested in Reid than me. I knew you would leave him if I told you and I never wanted that. It wasn’t my choice, but I still decided to cut you off from his life. I should have told you.” Aaron’s grip around her hand tightened. He needed to be there for her as a friend right now, not the angry father of her child.   
“He’s here in a hotel with my boyfriend. Don’t worry, Jack knows he’s not his father. He’s thinks he just my friend. I want you to meet him. But it would be best if you talked to Spencer first. I got a feeling that he thinks I’m here to steal you back. I know I don’t even have a shot on you anymore, even if I wanted you. The way you looked at him. You never looked at me like that. Are you planning on marrying him?” She asked. 

Marriage. That was something he hadn’t even thought about. They had been way busy with other stuff during cases, and never had time to think about it when they were home. Would Spencer even want to marry him?  
“I don’t know. Reid is… Special. I don’t think he believes in marriage. We hadn’t had the time to talk about it” Haley nodded. It was starting to get late, Hotch’s lunch hour would soon be over. They hugged each other when it was time to say good bye.   
“I don’t know him personally. But I think he would like you to at least ask. But don’t do it too soon. Wait until he have forgiven you, and hunted me down with an axe” Aaron couldn’t help but chuckle at that.   
“You’re right, but Reid isn’t the type who would go after you with an axe. He would send you a letter bomb or something else clever. Please do watch what you take inside the house or eat for that matter” It was Haley’s turn to laugh. She had missed Aaron. Now she hopped that they would stay friends now when they got contact again.   
They departed after that. As Hotch watched the blond woman disappearing he thought he saw Reid somewhere in the background. When he looked again, he was gone. It was all too much like a movie cliché. He shook his head. He was thinking too much about his Boyfriend’s reaction to this, of course he saw the doctor everywhere.

***

“Where is Reid?” Hotch asked when he noticed that the doctor hadn’t returned to his desk in a while.  
“I think he went home. He seemed very upset after lunch. He wasn’t talking with me and he didn’t take Rossi’s offer about driving him home when he said he wasn’t feeling well. I know he’s a grown up, but I don’t like it when he walks outside in the rain” Morgan said. “I’m not sure, but I think our little genius is jealous. Don’t tell me that you’re cheating on pretty boy”  
What Morgan said finally made the pieces to fall in place for Hotch. Spencer didn’t know that Haley was the ex. He thought he was being unfaithful with a woman. Who knows what more he thought about him. 

***

Spencer was very upset. And like always when he was upset, he had of course locked himself in the closet, refusing to communicate with Hotch. The wardrobe hadn’t a lock, but Hotch knew better than to open the door. The closet was his safe zone. He had reacted badly the time he opened the door before he was ready.   
Aaron let Spencer take his time in the closet. He had prepared dinner to his boyfriend but the younger man still refused to speak to him. Let alone eat. It wasn’t until the sunrise Hotch decided to try to speak with Spencer again. He had waited outside as always. The longest time his boyfriend ever had locked himself inside where one and a half day. He had been really worried about him since he didn’t drink when he was inside the closet.   
“Spencer, I know you can hear me. You don’t have to answer, just listen. Okay?” Aaron was resting his back against the door as he spoke. It was the closest he could come to Spencer when he had locked himself in.  
“I know you’re upset. You have all the reason to be upset with me. I’ve clearly hurt you. I never told you exactly who Haley was until she showed up at the BAU. Of course you would misapprehend the situation. You seeing me holding her hand and hugging her at dinner didn’t help the situation, but I promise I have never been unfaithful to you or ever planning to be. I love you, remember that. Haley was my ex-girlfriend. Do you remember, the one I told you about in the library so many years ago. We’ll talk about what she wanted later, right now I just want to see you” Aaron begged. It was quiet for a long while until he finally heard movement behind him.

“Aaron” He heard a weak voice from the closet. He hated hearing Spencer like that, unless it where after sex.  
“You’re blocking the door”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic should take place around season 2. For you guys who are keeping count of the years, will notice that unless Aaron have been cheating on Reid (which he haven’t), Jack is born some years before his birth at the show. I can’t make it work in another way so hope you guys are okay with Jack being a bit older than he should be.   
> Next chapter will focus about Reid trying to bound with Jack. Reviews are very welcomed, I love to know what you guys think ;) and tell me if you got any prompt for this series.


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